Madagascar, the fourth-largest island in the world, lies in the Indian
Ocean 500km (300 miles) off the coast of Mozambique. It includes
several much smaller islands. A central chain of high mountains, the
Hauts Plateaux, occupies more than half of the main island and is
responsible for the marked differences (ethnically, climatically and
scenically) between the east and west coasts. The narrow strip of
lowlands on the east coast, settled from the sixth century by
Polynesian seafarers, is largely covered by dense rainforests, whereas
the broader west-coast landscape, once covered by dry deciduous
forests, is now mostly savannah. The east coast receives the monsoon
and, on both coasts, the climate is wetter towards the north. The
southern tip of the island is semi-desert, with great forests of
cactus-like plants. The capital, Antananarivo, is high up in the Hauts
Plateaux near the island’s centre. Much of Madagascar’s flora and
fauna is unique to the island. There are 3,000 endemic species of
butterfly; the many endemic species of lemurs fill the niches occupied
elsewhere by animals as varied as racoons, monkeys, marmots,
bushbabies and sloths. There is a similar diversity of reptiles,
amphibians and birds (especially ducks), and also all levels of plant
life.

Area:

587,041 sq km (226,658 sq miles).

Population:

19.4 million (CIA estimate 2007).

Languages:

The official languages are Malagasy
(which is related to Indonesian) and French. Local dialects are also
spoken. English is not widely spoken.

Climate: Hot and subtropical climate, colder in the mountains. Rainy
season: November to March. Dry season: April to October. The south and
west regions are hot and dry. Monsoons bring storms and cyclones to
the east and north from December to March. The mountains, including
Antananarivo, are warm and thundery from November to April and dry,
cool and windy the rest of the year.

Economy - overview:Agriculture accounts for more than 25% of GDP and employs 80% of
the population. Coffee is produced for foreign exchange, rice and
cassava for domestic consumption. Deforestation and erosion,
aggravated by the use of firewood as the primary source of fuel, are
serious concerns. The country suffers from frequent cyclones which
have done severe damage to agriculture in the past. Madagascar has
appreciable mineral deposits which are being exploited, whilst the
manufacturing industry, mainly textiles and food processing, accounts
for 15% of GDP. The economy grew by 4.7% in 2006, with inflation at
10.8%. The country continues to rely heavily on loans and grants. In
2005, Madagascar became the first state to receive development aid
from the US under a scheme to reward nations that Washington considers
to be promoting democracy and market reforms. Exports of apparel have
boomed in recent years primarily due to duty-free access to the US.
Poverty reduction and combating corruption will be the centerpieces of
economic policy for the next few years.

Economy: Agriulture accounts for more than 25% of GDP and employs 80% of
the population. Coffee is produced for foreign exchange, rice and
cassava for domestic consumption. Deforestation and erosion,
aggravated by the use of firewood as the primary source of fuel, are
serious concerns. The country suffers from frequent cyclones which
have done severe damage to agriculture in the past. Madagascar has
appreciable mineral deposits which are being exploited, whilst the
manufacturing industry, mainly textiles and food processing, accounts
for 15% of GDP. The economy grew by 4.7% in 2006, with inflation at
10.8%. The country continues to rely heavily on loans and grants. In
2005, Madagascar became the first state to receive development aid
from the US under a scheme to reward nations that Washington considers
to be promoting democracy and market reforms. Exports of apparel have
boomed in recent years primarily due to duty-free access to the US.
Poverty reduction and combating corruption will be the centerpieces of
economic policy for the next few years.